The creation of the Do Not Call list was supposed to prevent annoying and intrusive sales calls to our homes, and now to our wireless phones. Like all laws, its mere existence doesn't prevent wrongdoing. The law must be enforced for it to work.

Readers ask me every so often why their phones continue to ring, and why nothing is done about it. I suggest they report the callers to the proper state and federal authorities, and hopefully they'll investigate.

And every so often comes evidence that authorities do investigate, and violators of the Do Not Call list can be punished.

The FTC alleged Electric Mobility Corp. illegally used phone numbers it gathered from sweepstakes entry forms to make more than three million calls since 2003. The sweepstakes offered people a chance to win a free Rascal, the motorized chair seniors use to get around, the FTC said.

Federal telemarketing rules allow companies to contact people they've had an "established business relationship" with, but the FTC says companies can't use a sweepstakes form to establish a relationship.

In the settlement, Flowers and Electric Mobility Corp. did not admit wrongdoing or violating the law.

If you're not on the Do Not Call list, you can register for the national list here, and for the state list here. The national list should cover all calls, but it can't hurt to be double registered.

If your phone still rings, report the rascals, and hopefully, something will be done about it.